Eastern Illinois volleyball head coach Ryan Millar has added five transfers to the Panthers 2025 roster as all five players will provide depth on the EIU roster with college experience.
The five incoming players include Giorgia Cappelletti, Anaya Rawlinson, Jasmyne Boone, Alex Dever and Sydney Javes. Those five join three freshman that have been previously announced in Jorah Rutter, Alanys Nieves and Alan Guibert.
EIU opens the 2025 season with a home exhibition match on August 23 against Illinois State.
Listed below are bios on the five incoming transfers...
Giorgia Cappelletti (OH, 5-10, Graduate Student, Fermo, Italy / Liceo Linguistico Onesti / Georgian Court University) – Played the 2024 season at NCAA Division II member Georgian Court University earning third team Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) All-Conference honors… helped lead team to a 22-10 record advancing to the second round of the NCAA East Regional… recorded 291 kills for a 2.47 kills per set average while adding 330 digs (2.80 per set) and 35 blocks… led the NCAA with 81 service aces for a 0.69 ace per set average… played in 27 matches as a junior in 2023 finishing year with 2.84 kills per set (2.84) and 333 digs (3.17)… added 49 service aces during the year… played at Iowa Western CC during the 2022 season helping team reach the NJCAA Division I Midwest District B Finals… began collegiate career playing the 2021 season at Garden City CC… averaged 2.96 kills and 3.26 digs per set during the season… from Fermo, Itay and attended Liceo Linguistico Onesti for prep school…
Anaya Rawlinson (MB, 6-1, Sophomore, Whitby, Ontario - Canada / Sinclair Secondary School / Le Moyne College) – Played 2024 freshman season at Le Moyne College… appeared in 25 matches during the season finishing with 133 kills (1.66 kps) with an attack percentage of .286… led team with 53 blocks which ranking ninth in the Northeast Conference… she earned NEC Rookie of the Week honors one time hitting .444 that week with 27 points scored over the course of three matches during that week… had three double figure kills matches during the season with a season-high 13 at Mercyhurst… attended Sinclair Secondary School and was a three-year varsity starter… played club for Leaside Wildfire… was selected for Team Ontario High Performance Training Camp in 2023…
Jasmyne Boone (OPP/OH, 5-10, RS-Freshman, Hillside, Ill. / Proviso West HS / Saint Francis University) – Redshirted 2024 freshman season at Saint Francis University… attended Proviso West HS twice earning team MVP honors… had 2,478 kills, 204 aces and 713 blocks during prep career covering both high school and club action… played club for 630 Volleyball… named to honor roll…
Alex Dever (LIB/DS, 5-6, Sophomore, Dallas, Texas / Dallas Lutheran School / Saint Francis University) – Played 204 freshman season at Saint Francis University… played in 19 matches for the season averaging 1.50 digs per set with 72 total digs for the season… recorded 11 service aces… had a season high ten digs at Lehigh… add a pair of nine dig matches against Penn and Indiana State… attended Dallas Lutheran School earning varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and track & field… recorded over 1,000 kills, 1,200 digs and 250 aces in high school career… earned TAPPS District 2-3A Offensive Player of the Year… first team All-District… earned Academic All-State… led team to TAPPS 2023 State Runner-Up title and 2022 State Final Four berth… TAPPS 3A state champion in the high jump earning medals in high jump, long jump, triple jump, hurdles and relays during high school career… played club Dallas Skyline…
Sydney Javes (OPP/OH, 6-4, RS-Sophomore, Frederick, Colo. / Dawson School / Stonehill College) – Was a two-year member of the Stonehill College volleyball team… appeared in eight matches during the 2024 season averaging 0.90 kills per set… redshirted at Stonehill during the 2023 season… attended the Dawson School for prep school competing in volleyball, basketball and soccer… two-time MVP… named to Mile High League All-Conference team in volleyball… twice named Academic All-State… played Club volleyball for X-Treme VB Club, Ballistic VB Club and VC Denver…
